What is VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure)?
VDI is a cutting-edge technology that utilizes virtual machines to manage and provide virtual desktops. Instead of being tied to a specific physical device, users access a preconfigured operating system and applications on demand from any compatible device. With VDI, desktop environments can be hosted on a centralized server and deployed to end users on demand. VDI allows organizations to deploy Windows and Linux virtual machines that can be accessed from anywhere, at any time, making it an ideal solution for a dynamic workforce.
How does VDI work?
In VDI, a hypervisor creates virtual machines on a central server, each hosting a virtual desktop that users can access remotely from any device or location. All processing is done on the host server and centrally managed. Users connect to their desktop instances through a connection broker, which is a software-based gateway that acts as an intermediary between the user and the server.
What is VDI used for?
Although VDI can be used in all sorts of environments, there are a number of use cases that are uniquely suited for VDI, including:
- High-security and compliance-driven industries: Keep data within a controlled environment—especially relevant for finance, government, and legal sectors to meet strict compliance requirements.
- Remote and hybrid work: Secure access to corporate desktops from any location, ensuring business continuity and workforce flexibility.
- Bring your own device (BYOD): VDI is an ideal solution for environments that allow or require employees to use their own devices. Since VDI supports many OSes and device types, organizations can enable secure access to corporate applications without compromising data security and allow employees to work from their preferred devices.
- Call centers and shift-based work: Support shared, non-persistent desktops that reset between shifts, reducing IT complexity.
- Contractors and temporary workers: Quickly onboard workers and scale virtual desktops as needed to meet workforce demand, without the complexity of provisioning physical devices.
- Disaster recovery and business continuity: Ensure that employees can access their desktops and applications in the event of an outage or crisis.
Persistent VDI vs non-persistent VDI
VDI can offer either persistent or non-persistent desktops. Each type offers different benefits:
- With persistent VDI, a user receives a dedicated desktop that retains their settings, applications, and data across sessions, Users can personalize the desktop for their needs since changes are saved every time the user logs in. In other words, desktops in a persistent VDI environment act like personal physical desktop.
- In non-persistent VDI, users access a shared pool of generic virtual desktops that resets after each session, and no settings or customizations are saved. It is considered a simpler and cheaper option because it requires less storage and there is no need to maintain personalized desktops between sessions. As a result, non-persistent VDI is ideal for task workers or employees who perform a limited set of repetitive tasks and don’t require a customized desktop.
Why VDI?
VDI provides a secure, flexible, and centrally managed way to deliver desktops and applications to users, making it ideal for modern work environments. VDI was once considered costly and complex due to high infrastructure demands, scalability limitations, and inconsistent user experiences, thus making it difficult for many organizations to adopt. However, advancements in hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), cloud-based VDI, improved management tools, GPU acceleration, and higher performing networks with improved remote display technologies have made it more scalable, cost-effective, and accessible than ever before.
What are the benefits of VDI?
VDI offers a number of benefits for organizations that do use it. Some of these benefits include:
- Remote access: VDI users can connect to their virtual desktop from any location or device, making it easy for employees to access all their files and applications and work any time, any place in the world.
- Cost savings: Since processing is done on the server, the hardware requirements for end devices are much lower. Users can access their virtual desktops from older devices, thin clients, or even tablets, reducing the need for IT to purchase new and expensive hardware.
- Security: In a VDI environment, data is centrally located in the data center or cloud rather than the end client device. This protects data if an endpoint device is ever stolen or compromised.
- Centralized management: VDI’s centralized format allows IT to easily patch, update, or configure all the virtual desktops in a system.
What is the difference between VDI and desktop virtualization?
Desktop virtualization is a broad term for any technology that separates a desktop environment from the physical hardware and allows remote access. It includes multiple approaches, such as VDI, remote desktop services (RDS), and cloud-hosted desktops. VDI is a specific type of desktop virtualization where virtual desktops run on centralized servers in a data center.
What is the difference between VDI and virtual machines (VMs)?
Virtual machines are the technology that powers VDI. VMs are software “machines” created by partitioning a physical server into multiple virtual servers through the use of a hypervisor. (This process is also known as server virtualization.) Virtual machines can be used for a number of applications, one of which is running a virtual desktop in a VDI environment.
What is the difference between VDI and RDSH?
RDSH (remote desktop session host) is based on Microsoft RDS available on Windows Server and Desktop operating systems. Users share a single server (host) instance, with shared resources like CPU and memory, and access to separate sessions on the host. With VDI, each user gets their own virtual desktop running in a VM with its own resources. Because VDI offers a dedicated desktop experience similar to physical desktops, user customization can be easier on VDI than RDSH. With dedicated resources, performance can be more consistent on VDI than RDSH. RDSH can be more cost-effective as fewer resources may be needed to support more users. VDI also offers isolated VM environments for enhanced security compared to using shared sessions with RDS.
